Is it smart to buy a 43k car when I have saved up 26k and make around 1000 a week as an 18 year old
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Are you paying your own bills, or still living at home? (Either way, I don't think it's smart, but the degree to which it is a bad idea changes depending on the answer.)– chepnerCommented Apr 1, 2022 at 18:00
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1What are the car price ranges though? 43K doesn't mean much without knowing what the market is. Is 43K a lot for a car in your country? A little? How's the public transport? Do you need it?– littleadvCommented Apr 1, 2022 at 18:26
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1@JohnFx Please read this meta question and its answers, and think about it before voting to close a question as “primarily opinion-based.”– Ben MillerCommented Apr 2, 2022 at 1:56
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1Think of all the other stuff you could buy with 43k - for example several nice vacations, an entire year holiday from work, or the world's most overpowered gaming computer. Would you rather have that stuff, or the car? You already have a car - is that car a steaming pile of crap?– Stack Exchange Supports IsraelCommented Apr 4, 2022 at 11:12
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None of the information after the word "car" is even needed. "Is it smart to buy a 43k car?" No.– GendoIkariCommented Apr 5, 2022 at 5:08
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1 Answer
Are we talking dollars or what? Personally, I have never spent anywhere near $43,000 on a car. The car I drive now cost me $14,000 and I considered that a lot. And, if we're talking dollars, I make over twice as much as you do. (I'm a lot older so I've had more time to build my career.)
I can't say whether you can afford this car without knowing a lot more details about your finances. It's not enough to know the price of the car and your income. Do you have a mortgage? Or are you paying rent? Do you have student loans? Do you have children? Etc.
It really comes down to: 1. Can you afford the payments? And 2. How important is this to you?
To me, a car is just a way to get around. I have never been excited about owning a fancy car. When I bought my last car, it was pretty easy to find a car that was only a few years old and seemed decent and probably reliable for $10,000 to $15,000. So that's what I was willing to pay.
Personally, I'd rather spend my money on a nicer house, computer toys, and saving for retirement.
If to you having the prettiest, fanciest, fastest, or whatever car is very important, perhaps it's worth it to you to spend a lot on a car.
Remember that money doesn't come from nowhere. Every dollar you spend on a car means one dollar less to spend on something else. Buying a fancy car may mean living in a smaller apartment, not being able to eat out as often, giving up an elaborate vacation, etc, whatever other things you might want to spend your money on.
You might well qualify for a loan for this car, and you might well realistically be able to afford it. But it's a lot to spend on a car, especially at 18. When I was 18, my car was a cheap old car that barely ran. I think I paid $700 for it. (Okay, that was over 40 years ago so adjust for inflation.)
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I suspect the country is not UK/US. A thousand dollars or pounds is one hell of a salary for any 18-year-old. I would guess the $OP_CURRENCY to USD ratio is at least 3 or 4 to 1. Commented Apr 4, 2022 at 18:04
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@MichaelHarvey Yeah, $50,000 is a very good salary for an 18 year old. Not impossible, though, so I don't rule it out. But what currency we're talking about makes a huge difference here. If we're talking dollars or pounds or euros, 42,000 is an expensive vehicle and I'd discourage any but the richest 18 year olds from spending that much. If we're talking, say, Japanese yen, 42000 yen is like $350, and any car being sold for that price is likely a piece of junk that will fall apart in a few weeks. I'd discourage anyone who could do better from buying that.– JayCommented Apr 4, 2022 at 18:22